News, notes and reader questions about the San Francisco 49ers

January 5, 2014

The 49ers will face Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay passing attack without their most experienced cornerback, Carlos Rogers, who is recovering from a hamstring strain. Instead Tarell Brown and Tramaine Brock will start at cornerback while Eric Wright - who has been dealing with his own hamstring issue - will fill in with the team's nickel defense, which promises to be on the field for the bulk of San Francisco's defensive snaps.

Rodgers' two favorite targets, Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson, will work out of the slot. Rodgers hit Cobb for the Packers' game-winning touchdown on last week that propelled them into the playoffs.

The 49ers also have Perrish Cox, who was signed on Monday and who has played in the 49ers' dime defenses in the past. The only other cornerback on the roster is undrafted rookie Darryl Morris. He's primarily been a special teams player this year.

Rogers injured his hamstring at the end of last week's game against the Cardinals. And while the injury was considered fairly minor, it did not help that temperatures at kickoff will be around 5 degrees and the wind chill temperature at minus-11. Rogers did not practice in the run-up to today's game, and should the 49ers win he likely will be listed as questionable for next week's game against the Panthers.

Wright showed up on the injury report on Thursday after tweaking his hamstring in practice. He was listed as limited in Friday's session. Wright has experience playing the nickel, including a game in 2011 against the Packers when he was a member of the Lions.

MATTHEW BARROWS

Matt was born in Blacksburg, Va., and attended the University of Virginia. He graduated in 1995, went to Northwestern for a journalism degree a year later, and got his first job at a South Carolina daily in 1997. He joined The Bee as a Metro reporter in 1999 and started covering the 49ers in 2003. His favorite player of all time is Darrell Green.